Tottenham told to replace Conte with English manager, amid recent comments

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Antonio Conte has admitted he was frustrated by Tottenham’s activity in January, realising Spurs want to build for the future. In response, Craig Burley says they need a manager to match – in Brighton’s Graham Potter.

Tottenham allowed Bryan Gil, Gio Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele to leave on loan – while Dele Alli joined Everton on a permanent basis. Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur joined the club from Juventus.

Conte is renowned for bringing in players that are experienced, to aid his side in that moment – and hit the ground running. At Inter, he signed the likes of Christian Eriksen, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal.

But at Spurs, Fabio Paratici has brought in Kulusevski and Bentancur – both under 25, as well as the likes of Cristian Romero, Pape Matar Sarr and others. Burley thinks Spurs need a long-term boss to help them build.

“I’ve always been concerned about the longevity of this,” Burley told ESPN. “I’ve always felt that a different approach, a longer-term approach for Spurs, if that is their mentality, [would be] somebody like Graham Potter.

“I just don’t think Conte has the patience for this kind of management of a football club, when others are going out there spending. At Tottenham, you’re only going to get the first part in the main.”

Potter or Conte: Does Brighton boss suit Tottenham, as Burley says?

Without a doubt, Potter is shining at Brighton. He will most definitely move on from Brighton at some point, and join a bigger club in the Premier League. But he will join a side where, as Burley says, there is a project.

A long-term plan in place where Potter can mould it into his side. Conte is different. He is a serial winner. A manager that can change a club’s fortunes and mentality – which many believe he has done at Tottenham.

But what he lacks at Spurs, is the spending power of his previous clubs. It is not Inter Milan, Chelsea, Juventus or others. It is a club that without Champions League football, cannot afford to do so. Potter might be better.